I should say that for Muslim women who claim be "Feminist"
Muslims, the application of a "feminist" and "Muslim" are two
paradoxical terms which in themselves have the same
meaning. The primary understanding of feminism is the belief
in equality among both men and women and to apply the
necessary steps to promote such an ideology. But in fact when
one looks at the definition of what it is to be a Muslim we cannot
but infer the contexual implimnentation of Qur'an. God in the
Qur'an states that men and women are equal in his eyes
because both of course belonging to the animal kingdom (one
species) and as well as being composed of the same physical
elements in which makes them a being. The differences God
mentions are pure biological which has no inference in the
qualities of both.

Of course for women who argue the inequality of Muslim
women in the Muslim community is the western secularist
argument to evaluating the Muslim community. but if we
ourselves are to evaluate the community on a microcosmic
(small) level such as men and women separated in the Mosque
we can only suppose that such known inequalities would be
due to cultural influence and not the Islamic. The problem with
western feminism is that western feminist are evaluating the
roles of men and women based on the western idea of equality.

Western Feminist must understand that Islam is not just a
religion but a culture an d perhaps the symbolism of the
division in the Mosque is not pure status but mutual respect
between men and women. I'm quite surprised to hear the
language of feminist when they say:

"How is it that men have a space in which it centers the Imam
which in itself shows male dominance of women?"

The answer to such a shallow question from me is that how
men are seperated in the mosque depends on how the Imam
runs the mosque. For instance in some mosques men are on
the lower level and women are on the top. In some countries
women are not allowed in the mosque which is forbidden
saved if women are on their monthly cycle (even this is debated
by feminist).

But when such seperation is evaluated based on such
inferences western feminist must look at how the internal
structure (such as how the Khutba is conducted) and if the
women in the mosque are inconveinenced. But in no way does
a women being seperated by a man shows the inferiority of
women in fact I myself can say why can't a man go in the
woman's corner? In the Mosque men are not allowed where
the women pray? A woman from the group has every right to
tell the men that he cannot pray with/or near them. If we wish to
talk about the varieties of power in the Muslim community it is
indeed equitable for both men and women to show power in he
mosque.

But for Muslim women to call themselves "feminist Muslims" are
indeed contradictory terms base don what I have mentioned
earlier in my commnetary. Also we must becareful as Muslims
to interpret the Qur'an based on our own ideologies because
while interpreting the Qur'an any words or parables that the
Qur'an shows we cannot imply anything based on our own
emotion. to do show would result in Bid'ah. if we differ then
Allahu Alim we must consult with a learned thinker i.e Scholar,
Alim, or your respectable Sheikh.

You are right, Angel, men and women are two sides of the same equation, we cannot do without each other. And Israfil, for sure "feminist Muslim" is an oxymoron. However, that doesn't mean there aren't many issues in the ummah that need to be addressed as far as inequality goes. Muslims need to realize that just because an atrocity is commited and blamed on culture doesn't mean we should shrug our shoulders and say "that is not Islam".

We need to address inequality head on and help stop practices such as so called "honour killings", women forced to marry someone they don't want to, dowry being paid to the bride's family or the groom's family instead of the bride, woman banned from some mosques, and so on and so forth.

It isn't good enough to just declare that these things are not Islamic, we must speak out and put an end to any "cultural" practices that are clearly wrong. Men and women are equally responsible before Allah for their actions or lack of them.

Islam gave women some rights (marriage and divorce by consent, inheritance, education political and legal rights) 1400 years ago, which were unknown to their Christian and Jewish sisters until 19th century. of course Islam’s scheme for life is from ‘that world’. it is an alternative that confronts the so-called modern world, its values, agnosticism, and ‘anything goes’ mentality, with a genuine counter-project that only appears to be outdated because it is timeless.

The western civilization is already witnessing the casting of doubts on fashionable facets of the sexual and feminist revolution. AIDS alone has forced people to rethink their manners in more than one respect. the first manageress in USA begin to express regret at their now irrevocable decision not to have children for the sake of their careers – at having placed too much emphasis on ‘sisterhood’ at the expense of ‘motherhood’. more women than before are now convinced that pure imitation of man is not the best way of liberating women. in the us, as in Europe, it is once again fashionable among formerly ‘swinging’ students to ‘go steady’. in 1968, Vance Packard in his book ‘Sexual Wilderness’ coined the term ‘sex jungle’ for the excesses of the sexual revolution in his country – the USA.

For Islam, man and woman have the same dignity, but different tasks; they are of the same values, but have different abilities; they are equal before Allah, but have different roles in life. the question of whether or not this is ‘modern’ is irrelevant.

Know your enemy!
No time to waste. Act now!
Tomorrow it will be too late
What You Don’t Know Can Kill You

I have heard that a nation can rise no higher than its woman. Where the woman is uplifted, the fruit of her womb will manifest her happiness and the community will rise. Where the woman is oppressed, the fruit of her womb bears her unhappiness and the community will fall.

IFor Islam, man and woman have the same dignity, but different tasks; they are of the same values, but have different abilities; they are equal before Allah, but have different roles in life. the question of whether or not this is ‘modern’ is irrelevant.

Asalaamu alaikum,

I think this is all well and good in theory but the reality is that in many places, Muslim women are NOT getting their rights. There are honour killings, forced marriages, genital mutilation in the extreme then there are smaller injustices such as not being allowed to enter masjids.

How many of us (male and female) know that a Muslim man has the right of marrying up to 4 wives but how many of us know that a woman has the right to be satisfied sexually by her husband?

I'm not saying it's all a conspiracy by men against women but it seems that it's always common knowledge about husband's and men's rights - how many of us have read the "duties of a wife" type articles but the "duties of a Muslim man" articles are sorely lacking.

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